Gurugram: Though a no-confidence motion against the Manohar Lal Khattar-led Bharatiya Janata Party-Jannayak Janta Party (BJP-JJP) government in Haryana was defeated Thursday, a speech made by a JJP MLA — Ram Kumar Gautam — during the discussion has created a buzz.
Even as he spoke against the Opposition’s motion, Gautam took a dig at both CM Khattar and Deputy CM and JJP leader Chautala. His comments led to Chautala asking his party MLA to resign. In return, Gautam asked for the deputy CM’s resignation.
The 77-year-old JJP leader, a two-time MLA from Narnaund in Hisar, has been critical of Chautala ever since he failed to get a berth in the Cabinet in 2019, but has been seen praising Khattar publicly on more than one occasion.
In fact, the remarks he made towards Khattar during his speech Thursday could be perceived as friendly and constructive, rather than outright criticism.
He initiated his speech on a light-hearted note, joking that since he was speaking in opposition to the no-confidence motion proposed by the Congress, the government should give in to the demands he makes in his speech.
He then went on to bring up issues being faced by his constituents, the state’s farmers and unemployed youth, and by home guards and police constables.
During this long-winding speech — during which he was interrupted multiple times with appeals to get back to the topic at hand — he spoke of promises made by Chautala that have never been fulfilled. One of these being to do with compensation for cotton farmers from Kheri village.
He said that a little while ago, Chautala had taken a dig at former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda saying that Hooda’s real problem was that despite trying, he just wasn’t being able to come to power.
“But my real problem is that the deputy CM is holding 14 departments of the government alone,” Gautam said.
He further claimed that he had won the 2019 elections on his own and not with Chautala’s support. Gautam also made certain remarks about Chautala’s family members which were later expunged.
At this, Chautala rose and told Gautam that if he had this much trust in his capabilities, he should resign and test his popularity. To this Gautam retorted saying that Chautala, too, should resign.
Later, speaking on the motion, Chautala said that had he inducted Gautam as a minister instead of development and panchayats minister Devender Singh Babli, the Narnaund MLA would be sitting next to him right now, uncomplainingly.
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Gautam’s speech
Of the many issues plaguing the state, Gautam began with unemployment.
“The unemployed youths in Haryana are in deep trouble. The problem is particularly dire for those from very poor families. They have neither reservations, nor any business or landholdings. The government should pay attention to this problem,” he said.
Next, he spoke about the farmers’ protests and urged the government to pay attention to their issues. “A farmer is the real caretaker of this country. The one standing at the border, protecting the country is also this farmer’s son, and the one providing us with food by working hard in fields is also this farmer’s son,” said Gautam.
Addressing Khattar directly, Gautam reminded him of his visit to Narnaund for jan samvaad last year (interaction with the public), and mentioned the promises the CM made. “In Khanpur village, you promised an industrial hub on 100 acres of land. In Thurana, you promised a solution to the problem of different offices being scattered in different locations — the police station is somewhere, the tehsil somewhere else. All these issues remain unaddressed,” he said.
“Villagers from Bass came to me a few days ago, saying that the CM had promised to build a road connecting Bass to Bhaklana, but nothing has been done,” he added.
He also took up the cause of home guards and said people were being recruited after taking bribes, and being removed or transferred at will, and requested Khattar to look into this.
On the issues being faced by police constables, who in July last year had taken to X, demanding pay scales equal to their Punjab counterparts, Gautam said Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh used to be one state at one time but now each state has a different pay scale.
“Every party, when it is in opposition, promises them Punjab scales,” the JJP MLA pointed out.
During his speech, he was interrupted several times by Speaker Gian Chand Gupta.
“Ram Kumarji,” he said on one such instance, “You have started reading out demands instead of speaking on the no-confidence motion.”
To this, Guatam said light-heartedly that it is only by bringing up their issues that his constituent can see that he is here to take care of their concerns.
Gautam also spoke about the condition of hospitals in his constituency.
“Of 75 sanctioned posts of doctors in my constituency, only 25 are working on the ground. In Narnaund town, 12 doctors are posted against 42 sanctioned posts. There is no X-Ray machine, no eye surgeon. Work on the new building of the hospital has been on hold for a long time,” he alleged.
He alleged large-scale corruption in the functioning panchayat and municipal departments, rubbing JJP leader and development and panchayats minister Devender Singh Babli the wrong way.
Gautam said these departments had become dens of corruption and requested Khattar to stop e-tendering in the panchayat department.
At this, Babli said, “I will not accept this, Gautamji. I respect you as an elderly leader, but you are accusing my department of corruption when I have brought transparency in the panchayat department through the e-tendering process.”
Following this Gautam was finally told by the Speaker that his time was over.
(Edited by Zinnia Ray Chaudhuri)